10 Most Expensive Rock Albums Ever Made
7. Metallica - Metallica ($1 Million)
In terms of personal cost, Metallica's 1991 self-titled record took a heavy toll on everyone involved.
During the recording process for the so-called "Black Album", guitarist Kirk Hammett, drummer Lars Ulrich, and bassist Jason Newstead were all going through a divorce.
With their respective wives, not each other.
With three quarters of the band down a spouse, the sessions became very fraught. Not quite Some Kind of Monster levels of fraught, but close enough. The fact that they dragged on for eight months certainly didn't help things.
When all was said and done, the Black Album's multiple re-recordings and remixes cost a cool $1 million. Although, once again, some fans would say that it was worth it.
This album took Metallica to the top of the US charts for the first time. Their next five records would do the same, which implies that the Black Album was responsible for the group making the leap from thrash icons and global rock heroes.
The Black Album is regarded as one of the best rock albums ever made, although probably not by the former Mrs. Hammett, Ulrich, or Newstead.